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ABSTRACT:
The divine herb Kalanchoe pinnata, which contains a wide range of active compound, including alkaloids, triterpenes, glycosides, flavonoids, steroids, bufadienolides, lipids and organic acids. Due to these constituents it has many pharmacological activity. Antibacterial activity of this plant is taken into consideration for the preparation of herbal antibacterial cream. A 60% methanolic extract of Kalanchoe pinnata leaves has been prepared and found useful against bacteria. A herbal antiseptic cream containing 60% methanolic extract of Kalanchoe pinnata leaves has been prepared. The prepared formulation has been evaluated. The results obtained were compared with marketed product.
KEYWORDS: Alkaloids, Glycosides, Herbal cream, Kalanchoe pinnata, Methanolic extract.
INTRODUCTION:
Skin diseases are due to poor hygiene, overcrowding, malnourishment, non-availability of potable water, high temperature and humidity. Further, drugs used to treat them are antibiotics, steroids and sulfonamides, which are not only out of reach of local population in remote areas but also associated with adverse effects like atrophy, telangiectasia, hirsutism and sensitizing dermatitis which are far more troublesome. Indigenous medicinal plants have been a readily available source of drugs since ancient times and even today almost 50% new drugs have been patterned after phytochemicals. Majority of the population in developing countries and approximately 25% people in developed regions use herbal medicine for prevention and treatment of diseases. Recognizing the medicinal significance of indigenous plants, World Health Organization (WHO) in its 1997-guideline states that ''effective locally available plants be used as substitutes for drugs. Research work on medicinal plants and exchange of informations obtained will go a long way in scientific exploration of medicinal plants for the benefit of man and is likely to decrease dependence on imported drugs''[1].
Staphylococcus aureus is the main pathogens that cause skin infections. Development of microbial resistance to antibacterial is a global concern.
Plants are important sources of potentially useful constituents for the development of new therapeutic agents because most of them are safe with little side effects [2].
The Kalanchoe pinnata is a divine herb, which contains a wide range of active compounds, including alkaloids, triterpenes, glycosides, flavonoids, steroids, bufadienolides, lipids and organic acids. Due to these constituents it has many pharmacological activity. The antimicrobial activity may be due to presence of triterpenes, bufadienolides and phenolic compound[3].Several reports are available on...